Mother Goose Leg 2, Day 4 - Yes Bay to Fitzgibbon Cove

This morning we pulled our crab pots one last time and once again found them filled with a multitude of delicious crabs. With that done, we left the beautiful Yes Bay behind and cruised onward toward our next anchorage, Fitzgibbon Cove. We motored out of Yes Bay and turned left to continue our voyage up Behm Canal. The sun was shining and the waters were pleasant and calm. We hadn’t traveled more than a mile when suddenly, off in the distance, a misty column appeared that could only be the blow of a whale. Soon, a tall black dorsal fin cut through the surface of the water, then another and another. We had spotted a pod of orcas swimming, fishing, and frolicking in the waters of Behm Canal. As we approached, the whales switched directions and traveled along with the fleet, coming very close to the boats. At one point, two of the animals swam directly below Mystic Eagle! It soon became clear that there were more animals than we first believed. There were at least two large bulls, their enormous black dorsal fins towering 6 feet or more above the water’s surface. A mother and calf swam with the group, as well as a number of females and an adolescent male. All in all, there were likely 10 or more animals spread out around the boats and across the channel. These magnificent animals stayed with us for around 45 minutes, swimming alongside us as we cruised onward. They treated us to quite a show, tail-lobbing and spyhopping right near the boats, giving us an incredible view of their enormous black and white bodies. All good things must come to an end, and as we turned right and continued on into Behm Narrows, the whales dropped back and went back to fishing.

We pressed on toward Fitzgibbon Cove, elated after our incredible encounter with the orcas. As we cruised between Bell Island and Revillagigedo Island, we passed the site of the now closed Bell Island Resort. This remote lodge has been around for a very long time and was once a favorite destination of celebrities such as John Wayne and Bing Crosby. The facility looks like it could use remodeling, but all of the original buildings are still standing. All day, the mountains around us had been increasing in height and they were now consistently capped in snow. We turned into Fitzgibbon Cove in the early afternoon and dropped anchor. The wind had picked up a bit, so we were glad to hole up in our sheltered anchorage. Encouraged by our prior success, we set crab pots immediately upon arriving. Our afternoon was spent relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery around us. Across Behm Canal, two particularly magnificent peaks rose up, cloaked in crisp white snow. Before long, the sun was setting and the moon hung high over the mountains. Once again worn out by an incredible day cruising in Southeast Alaska, everyone went to bed and dreamed about what the next day would bring.